LETTER- Step aside, RSWA, and let him work

I have always felt that the greatest strength of this country is in the creative and intellectual capital of our people.To survive, the American businessperson must be an entrepreneur who anticipates a need and builds a business to meet that need.

The legends of American industry are household names because they invented and built a "better mousetrap."They had a vision– invested their time, energy, and capital into that vision. They built it and persisted with ingenuity and hard work.

We have a local story about a local man that is just such an entrepreneur. His name is Peter Van der Linde.His "better mousetrap" is his state of the art recycling cacility at Zion Crossroads. "Flow blow: Wasteworks may seek trash monopoly"

I am afraid, however that he has built his "better mousetrap" too well.So well in fact that he has made the local governmental body that overseeing solid waste, unnecessary.That governmental agency is the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority (RSWA), and their mission is to reduce, reuse, recycle and manage solid waste in Charlottesville/Albemarle area.

The local papers and talk radio have documented this dispute. It is unbelievable to me that a local governmental body can use our tax money to litigate against private enterprise for accomplishing that body's mission. Peter Van der Linde has reduced, reused, recycled, and managed solid waste in Charlottesville/ Albemarle better than RSWA.

If Mother Nature could speak for the environment, she would say: "RSWA, step aside; and let the man run his mousetrap!"

Otis AmoryCrozet

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2 comments

Newcomer October 22nd, 2009 | 7:37am

The lawsuit against Mr. Van der Linde is a waste of taxpayer money. The elected officials in charge here owe us a public explanation of why they are trying to run this man out of business. I have read the articles in this weekly and listened to radio shows and this seems to be a case of a failing government entity trying to eliminate the competition. The Mayor and Chairman of the Board of Supervisors need to explain this expenditure of tens of thousands of our dollars on this suit, or they should be removed from office

ANONYMOUS December 10th, 2009 | 6:36pm

It is absolutely appalling what has been happening to Peter Van Der Linde. Hasn't the leatest fiasco between Wall Street and Government taught anybody anything? America was built on capitalism, private industry, the mom and pops that created great wealth, jobs, revenue etc. No government can do what private citizens can. Until we stop making the free market and capitalism the evil enemy this country will not survive.